Referee humiliated by Donald Trump makes history with UEFA honour this week

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FT Desk

Somalian referee Omar Artan is set for a career highlight by officiating the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday.

Artan has been on a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions over the last 18 months as he became the first Somali to oversee a CAF Champions League final before being named the CAF Men’s Referee of the Year Award for 2025.

It was after that accolade that he was named as one of the officials for the 2026 World Cup - a dream come true for the 34-year-old. However, that dream would soon turn into a nightmare as he was refused entry into North America for the tournament due to the United States' strict immigration policies.

Somalians are subject to full entry restrictions and entry suspensions for travel into the USA. He did obtain a visa, but an interrogation lasting nearly 11 hours and a background check by immigration services upon his arrival at Miami International Airport alleged "association with suspected members of terrorist organisations."

It proved a diplomatic headache for FIFA, which ultimately did not intervene on Artan's behalf to ensure he, as a World Cup referee, was allowed to do his job.

Donald Trump has made his feelings about Somalia perfectly clear in the past. In December of 2025, he said:

"I don't want them in our country. I'll be honest with you, OK.

"Somebody will say, 'Oh, that's not politically correct.' I don't care. I don't want them in our country.

"With Somalia, which is barely a country, you know, they have no, they have no anything. They just run around killing each other. There's no structure."

His comments came as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were reported to be planning an operation in Minnesota's large Somali community.

Success for Omar Artan

Artan has put that nightmare spell from the summer behind him and will officiate the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on Wednesday.

"It was a very tough period," he told UEFA's official site.

"A lot of people have sympathy for me, because when someone has been working a lot of years and is supposed to do something, and then can’t do it, it’s very challenging. I really appreciate the support I received throughout the world, though; I’m so grateful.

"I was lucky, but I have worked very hard to be here and I’m really proud. As you can imagine, I grew up in a difficult situation, but it didn’t prevent me from pursuing my dreams."

He has a message for any aspiring referees out there:

"I believe that if I can succeed, anyone can. You can do whatever you want to do. Don’t ever stop dreaming. If you want to be a referee, it’s the best thing that you can do. So go after it and do it, and don’t stop, regardless of what happens and irrespective of people preventing you from doing your job.

"Learn new things every day, refine your skills and, most importantly, be fair and consistent."

When Artan steps out onto the pitch in Salzburg this week, he'll become the first ever non-European referee to take charge of the Super Cup.